Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist - Youth Justice Service

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust; Greater London; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare organization in Greater London is seeking a Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist for the Youth Justice Service. This role involves providing specialist assessments and interventions for children with communication difficulties, working alongside a multidisciplinary team. The position offers opportunities for leadership development and the chance to influence care practices significantly. A relevant degree and experience with children in similar settings are required. Competitive salary of £53,751 to £60,651 pro rata.

Benefits

Regular supervision meetings

Peer support network

CPD opportunities

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree qualification or equivalent.
• Health and Care Professions Council licence to practice.
• Experience of working with secondary age children with SLCN and SEMH.

Responsibilities

• Provide a highly specialist assessment and intervention service for children aged 10-18.
• Develop and deliver training to professionals in Youth Justice and Adolescent Services.
• Conduct regular audits and lead on quality governance for the therapy service.

Skills

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Negotiation skills

Problem solving

Team collaboration

Education

Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree

Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists

Tools

systm1

Liquidlogic Childrens' systems

Job description

Go back Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Highly Specialist Speech & Language Therapist - Youth Justice Service

The closing date is 07 January 2026

Band 7 maternity cover within the Youth Justice Service

We are looking for a motivated and pro-active Speech and Language Therapist to work within Hillingdon Youth Justice and Adolescent Services supporting children who have speech, language and communication difficulties and differences.

This is a 9-12 month fixed term post covering maternity leave.

You will be working as part of a multi-disciplinary team made up professionals from a range of disciplines. For example: Youth Justice Officers, Education Worker, Social Workers, Police Officers, Prevention Officers (AXIS / Turnaround / Engage), CAMHS Worker, Youth Liaison and Diversion Practitioner and Reparation Workers.

You will take the lead on delivering all aspects of the Speech and Language Therapy Service within Hillingdon Youth Justice and Adolescent Services.

This post provides an exciting opportunity for an experienced Speech and Language Therapist who is looking for the opportunity to gain further experience developing their leadership skills and/or to work with children with speech, language and communication difficulties and differences who may have co-occurring social, emotional and mental health needs.

Main duties of the job

To provide a highly specialist assessment and intervention service for children (ages 10-18 years old) known to Hillingdon Youth Justice and Adolescent Services.

To provide consultative advice to the professional network involved with children known to Hillingdon Youth Justice and Adolescent Services. This includes attendance and advocating for children at a wide range of professional meetings. For example: Strategy meetings, Child Protection Conferences/Core Groups, education meetings, Youth Justice decision meetings, professional meetings, and Initial Planning meetings (for remanded or sentenced children).

To make recommendations about the physical environments and written communications that are used by Youth Justice and Adolescent Services.

To develop and deliver training to professionals working in Hillingdon Youth Justice and Adolescent Services.

To gather and report regularly on data including service Key Performance Indicators.

To lead on quality governance, audits, projects and service development for the Youth Justice Speech and Language Therapy Service.

To provide shadowing opportunities and second opinions to the wider professional network.

To coordinate and contribute to the CNWL Criminal Justice Speech and Language Peer Support Network.

To coordinate and contribute to the Hillingdon Youth Justice Service Health Hub.

About us

We can offer you:

• Regular supervision meeting with a team leader every 6-8 weeks.
• A peer support network of other Speech and Language Therapists working within Criminal Justice in CNWL.
• A supportive working environment with regular opportunities for informal support from colleagues.
• Opportunities to develop your clinical and leadership skills and knowledge within a well-established role, with a varied clinical caseload and regular CPD opportunities across the NHS and Local Authority.

Job responsibilities

To assess the speech, language and communication skills of children known to Youth Justice and Adolescent Services.

To provide appropriate specialist intervention where required.

To make onward referrals to other services. For example: CAMHS, Child Development Centre, Audiology.

To support the professional network to adapt their practice, ensuring all required strategies are incorporated into children's support plans.

To be able to reflect on all aspects of a child's communication and identify appropriate strategies to facilitate and enhance communicative effectiveness.

To monitor the effectiveness of recommended strategies and to adjust advice as necessary.

To adapt clinical practice to meet individual children's circumstances on the basis of evidence from assessment.

To recommend clear packages of care based on best practice and differential diagnosis using highly specialist clinical knowledge to inform case management.

To write assessment reports, communication profiles and intervention programmes (as required) with clear strategies, advice and recommendations about next steps.

To keep up to date with new techniques and developments for the promotion and maintenance of good practice in working within Youth Justice Services.

To demonstrate the ability to reflect on practice with peers and supervisors and identify own strengths and development needs.

To adapt practice to meet the individual circumstances of children and their families with due regard to cultural, linguistic (including use of interpreting services) and/or learning and language difficulties or differences.

To recognise potential breakdown and conflict when it occurs and seek to resolve using highly developed negotiation skills, seeking further support from management if necessary.

To use appropriate strategies to manage aggressive behaviour within the workplace, and to report any incidences of aggressive behaviour in line with Local Authority and NHS policies.

To ensure that children, their parents/carers (where possible) and the professional network are involved in the planning and delivery of their care.

To listen to the concerns of children, their parent/carers (where possible) and the professional network and provide appropriate support and signposting.

To demonstrate highly developed negotiation skills across a range of issues and to negotiate with others around case management.

To maintain sensitivity to the emotional needs of children and their families, especially when sharing outcomes of assessments or recommendations for onward referrals.

To demonstrate empathy with children, their families and colleagues ensuring that effective communication is achieved, particularly when the likelihood of communication breakdowns are higher.

To acknowledge children's journeys up until the point of involvement with the Youth Justice or Adolescent Services and use trauma informed practices when interacting with children and their families.

To evaluate own delivery and to be accountable for own professional actions and decisions, recognise own professional boundaries and seek advice from colleagues as required.

To follow the CNWL serious incident escalation pathway when required and seek advice from the CNWL Safeguarding Nursing Team.

To report all incidents, in a timely manner, and access learning following incident investigation outcomes.

To have due regard for own personal safety and that of children, their families and other professionals. In particular, to have regard for Local Authority and NHS lone worker, moving and handling, health and safety and infection control policies.

To follow local safety management policies and procedures and being aware of potential conflict between children and families using services. For example, consulting keep apart lists and the professional network when booking appointments.

To report, in a timely manner, all safeguarding concerns, following the latest safeguarding guidance and polices.

To share information, in a timely manner, with relevant professionals.

To contribute to case conferences and reviews as required.

To record all concerns and discussions/supervisions regarding safeguarding issues in the child's clinical records.

To attend safeguarding supervision with the Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children (Hillingdon) on a 3 monthly basis.

To work independently and to access NHS clinical supervision on a regular basis (every 6-8 weeks). NHS clinical supervision should be recorded on the relevant system.

To collate evidence of professional development related to the RCSLT CPD log.

To work within legal frameworks relevant to the role. For example: SEND reforms, London Safeguarding Children Procedures and Youth Justice Guidance.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Recognised Speech and Language Therapy Degree qualification or equivalent (minimum of 2:2 or equivalent)
• Further training courses relevant to the post. For example in the areas of Sauma Informed Practices, social Emotional and Mental Health
• Health and Care Professions Council licence to practice.
• Registered member of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
• Extensive training relevant to the post
• Member of CEN relevant to post

Experience

• Experience of working with secondary age children with speech, language and communication difficulties and differences and co-occurring social, emotional and mental health needs
• Experience of working in an MDT
• Experience of developing and delivering a range of training
• Experience of leading on projects to improve/develop the service
• Experience of completing clinical audits, collating findings and presenting this information to others
• Experience of working within the Youth Justice Service
• Experience of working alongside Children's Social care professionals
• Experience of managing a speech and Language service
• Experience of presenting information at management/board meetings

Skills and Knowledge

• In-depth knowledge of assessment tools, and experience of using them relevant to school age children with SLCN and SEMH
• In-depth knowledge and experience of a range of appropriate therapy approaches, and experience in using them with children with SEMH and SLCN
• Knowledge of the principles of clinical governance
• Knowledge of national policies and procedures relevant to school age children with SLCN
• Good knowledge of the roles of other professionals relevant to school age children with SLCN
• Knowledge of standards of record keeping
• Experience of systm1, child view or Liquidlogic Childrens' systems (LCS) as the electronic record

Other

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with professionals, children and their families
• Evidence of being a pro-active and supportive team member.
• Good negotiation and problem solving skills.
• Good analytical and reflection skills
• Good presentation skills; both written and verbal.
• Evidence of being able to work independently, be organised and able to prioritise and meet deadlines

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

£53,751 to £60,651 a yearper annum incl. HCAS pro rata